In Loving Memory of Captain Jack Harkness
by Batman'sBeauty18
Summary: Torchwood with 10th Doctor. Jack Harkness and his team stumble across a grave he was never meant to see. Spoilers through all of season one, no pairings.
1. The Tombstone

**A/N: I gotta say, Jack angst is really becoming almost an obsession for me. Its scary actually. And there are so many angsty Jacks to chose from. Anyone, for this fic its the Captain Harkness we all know and love. This has been my first experience with a persistent plot bunny: the one behind this fic would just not let go! I also felt like everyone was pairing up (Tosh/Ianto seemed to becoming closer friends, and of course Owen/Gwen) and that they were all forgetting about the little fact that JACK CAN'T DIE! I'm serious...if I knew my boss couldn't die I might be a little worried for his sanity. But thats just me.  
**

**Title: In Loving Memory of Captain Jack Harkness**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Summary: Jack stumbles upon a grave he was never meant to see. **

**Spoilers: All of Torchwood, just to be safe. All of the Doctor Who episodes with Jack, plus Christmas Invasion and Doomsday.**

**Warnings: Really bad attempt at a British accent. I'm sorry...but I'm American. I sorta tried, but I was so afraid of just butchering the accent I gave up. Looking for a beta (preferable British) who knows how to write with an English accent. If you don't know what shag and snog mean, then this probably it too mature for you. Slight language.**

**Please excuse the really slow beginning. I have a bad habit of rambling. See why I need a beta?  
**

Torchwood had slowly begun to tear apart at the seams. It happened gradually at first, starting with Jack's harsh treatment of Lisa and Ianto, and was only fueled by his inability to save the Chosen child. But it was after their excursion to the countryside that things really took a turn for the worse. Ever since Lisa's death, there had been a cool, calm undercurrent of hatred directed at Jack from Ianto. Everyone felt it, and no one really blamed him for it. Everyone just ignored it and continued on. Tosh and Ianto had never been all that close; they were co-workers and occasional friends. But something about being trapped in a room filled with frozen human flesh brought people closer together. Tosh and Ianto had become friends, and had started joining Owen and Gwen on their excursions to the local bar after work. Everyone at Torchwood knew Gwen and Owen were shagging, and everyone politely stayed out of it. They acted no different at work, except that Gwen didn't look as disgusted when Owen casually touched her. All in all, the dynamics of the all Torchwood employees had been strengthened by the trials and tribulation they had undergone in the past few weeks. All except one.

They had never known all that much about Jack, only that he had been handpicked by the former Prime Minister. They also knew that he possessed more information about the mysterious "Doctor" then anyone else on the planet, although even that was stretching it considering no one knew that much about him. They only knew that he had saved the world thousands of times, could time travel, and had almost gotten the world destroyed as many times as he had saved it. They understood that the reason for the creation of Torchwood was to be able to defend earth without the Doctor, thereby eliminating the need for him. Jack had mentioned him casually once or twice, but that was it.

Despite Gwen's attempt to play mediator between Jack and the others, they were all starting to question his leadership. Although none of them disagreed that Lisa had to be killed, they thought Jack had been way too harsh on Ianto. They had also been horrified when Jack had willingly handed over the young child to the elemental beings. And sure, they had been grateful for Jack's well-timed rescue, but the ferociousness and almost joy that he had shown as he had savagely shot all of the villagers had scared them all. He had wanted to kill them, and enjoyed doing it. He hadn't even seemed surprised when the man had said he did it all, killed all those people, because he enjoyed it.

Every night before Owen, Gwen, Ianto, and Tosh filed out of the Hub and proceeded towards the bar down the street they always asked, usually by way of Gwen although occasionally it was Owen of Tosh, Jack if he would like to join them. He always said no, and they never pushed. Maybe if once they had actually sounded like they wanted his company he would have come, but he was smart enough to know that they only asked him out of politeness. So as his team went out and got drunk, and snogged, and shagged, and slept, he lived at Torchwood and spent the nighttime searching for any traces of the Doctor and beating the crap out of the punching bag in the fitness room. If Owen ever saw bloodstains on it in the morning when he went in life weights, he never mentions it. And Jack's hands never showed any marks from the pummeling they took, night after night, as Jack let his fury give way to feelings of blind hatred and loneliness and abandonment.

It was after a particularly bad night that his crew came stumbling into the Hub, slightly hung over yet still laughing and joking. Ianto was teasing Tosh for hitting on a cute guy at the bar last night, only to be completely mortified when his **boy**friend showed up a few minutes later. Owen and Gwen were arguing about the most effective way to smack someone; Gwen said with your palm, Owen said with the back of your hand. They all mumbled a quick hello to Jack before heading towards Ianto who was handing out coffee, with Advil on the side. They all quieted down when Jack started to speak.

"The scanners picked up an unknown energy source emanating a few miles northwest. Its been steadily increasing, starting when the scanners first picked it up at 2 a.m. to few minutes ago. The energy strength seems to have stabilized, but the scanner still can't tell what the power source is. Its definitely alien, we just don't know what kind."

"2 a.m. Jack? Don't you ever go home and sleep?" Owen asked, stifling a yawn.

"No." Jack replied shortly, with a pointed glare. He and the others slowly shuffled out towards where the black S.U.V. was parked, and clambered into the car. Jack drove, using the car's GPS to direct them to the coordinates. They arrived, but saw nothing but a big grassy field.

"Well, nothing's here. I think we should go back to Torchwood, maybe take a nap or two. Or three. Or…"

"Shut it Owen. Something's giving off the signal; lets go find it."

They split up, Tosh and Ianto covering one area, Gwen and Owen another, and Jack on his own. They searched in silence for a couple of minutes, scanning the long expanse of grassy plain. They were on a hill, and form their vantage point it didn't look like there was anything around except the road, woods, and a store far off in the distance. Suddenly Ianto shouted out.

"There's something over here. Its…" Ianto trailed off, seemingly unable to describe the object.

"Well? What the bloody 'ell is it?" Owen asked breathlessly into his radio, as he and Gwen jogged towards Tosh and Ianto.

"Its…its…a grave. With a tombstone." Tosh said, hesitantly.

"Well? What does it say?!" Jack yelled into the radio, exasperation evident in his voice. It didn't matter what Tosh was going to say, because he now saw it for himself. Tosh, Ianto, Gwen, Owen, and Jack all looked at the grave, disbelief evident in their features. Unnecessarily, Gwen read out the first line of text on the tombstone.

"In loving memory of Captain Jack Harkness."

**Looking for a beta (preferably British) who knows how to write with an English accent.**


	2. Absolutely Fantastic

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update guys! There was thanksgiving, and then went down and I couldn't upload...well you get the idea. Iwas OVERWHELMED by the response to this fic. It is the most reviews I have ever gotten for a first chapter. Some many people offered their time to beta for me, and I really appreciate it. I had someone that that supposed to beta, but I realized that it wasn't going to work out becuase I post whenever I have the spare time. I don't plan when I finish a chapter and when I will update, I just do it in between the copious amounts of schoolwork I get. So I have decided to let this fic, like my others, go unbeta-ed in an effort to update faster. I hope you don't mind. I'll try and do a better job of proof reading.**

**_Guys...I wrote a Jack centered one-shot, focusing on his thoughts after seeing the T.A.R.D.I.S. fade away. I am might reference that fic, called A Veneer of Vanity, in this one. So if you want to read it, its really short. Thanks!_  
**

**Note: I am not really sure where to go form the end of this chapter. Please read the note on the bottom of the age and give me your input!**

There was a stunned silence; just complete and utter stillness, as if even the slightest movement would shatter the earth. Gwen started to read the rest.

"Beloved son, brother, father, husband, lover, friend, companion, solider, and hero. He gave his life to save this universe, and to save the life of his friends. He was a rare example of a truly selfless man, and we will never forget him."

Slowly, everyone's eyes turned to Jack. Gwen was the first one to speak up.

"Jack? Who are they talking about? Is it you?" Jack didn't respond. Instead, he leaned forward and ran his finger over a small metal sensor on the front of the tombstone. Instantly a hologram was projected above the tombstone. Suddenly the head and torso of a young blond girl appeared; she couldn't have been any older then 20. Her eyes were bloodshot, and mascara stains ran down her cheeks. She started to speak, staring at the ground and fiddling nervously with her hands.

"Hi Jack. Its me Rose. Obviously. Uhm… It feels weird to be talking to you like you're still here and all, but the Doctor said this is how they do burials in your century. He took me there; we met your mum and sister. I also met your daughter. You never told me you had a daughter! Apparently she's as big a flirt in school as you are. You should have seen what she was wearing…five inches of stomach showing, and her tail too. Guess in your time showing your tail are like showing…well you know. You would have been proud: when we went to see her she was a snogging a girl and a guy at the same time. Guess that's what you can do with a tail. Anyways…This whole hologram for the dead idea is daft but I thought you would want to have a proper burial. And you know, since we didn't have a body or anything…. well we buried your sonic blaster. Thought you might be needing that." Then the girl looked straight at him, as if she knew he was there and her voice lost the smiling, child-like innocence and took on a much more serious and sad one. "Jack…thank you. You bought us enough time to defeat the Daleks, and I will never forget that. And thanks for saving my life in the first place. You're an amazing person; you know so much and have so much experience. As okay, you're a pretty good kisser too." A small smile there, as if remembering a particularly fond memory. "But you didn't have to die doing it! You were supposed to stay with me and the Doctor. You promised to be on my side when he got in his moods, you made me laugh when he called me a stupid ape…you were there. You had so many stories, funny ones, that made me realize that all this bad stuff we constantly run into, all the trouble we get into, its not all there is. That there is snogging, and shagging, and laughing, and goofing around even on a different planet halfway across the universe. Remember when you convinced the Doctor to take us to that bar? We got so drunk the Doctor actually had land the T.A.R.D.I.S. behind the bar and drag us in. A remember waking up with a vague recollection of snogging something with more then two legs. And when you told me next time I should use birth control…. I thought I would have a heart attack! I still can't believe you actually convinced me that that thing was a plant, I believed you until it started snogging back! So thank you Jack, for bringing your humor, and charm, and of course your very nice arse." Her face once again fell, and fresh tears swept down her cheeks. "I love you Jack, you're like a brother to me, the teasing, flirty, annoying older brother I never had, and I'm really going to miss you. I promise, I will never forget you. You may think that I was worth fighting for, but I know that I wasn't worth dying for. Goodbye Captain Jack Harkness." The girl's face faded from the hologram.

"Jack? What the hell is going on?" Owen asked, taking in his boss's grief stricken face.

"They think I'm dead. The idiots think I'm dead. Of all the times for the Doctor to be wrong…." Jack mumbled, talking to himself. He reached out once again to the tombstone, and ran his finger down another metal sensor that was nearly invisible on the stone.

Another face appeared. This face was male, young also yet older then the girl. He too wore an expression of profound grief. "Captain Jack Harkness. Conman, ex-time agent, intergalactic flirt. I never thought I would be saying this to you of all people...thank you. You wouldn't recognize me now…I died back at the platform. But Time Lords regenerate… well you know that. Anyway, this is how I look now. I know if you were here you'd probably make some daft comment about my ears being normal. You were my favorite you know. Of all of them Rose picked, from that Adam fool, to Mickey the Idiot, she picked well when she picked you. You gave her something I never could: humanity. She needs to be around humans more, to keep her from forgetting who she is. You did that, and so much more. You gave her a person she understood. You cared for her and in your own ape way, for me, too. I don't get this mushy about everyone; so just realize that. You accepted who I was; you accepted that without trying to change it or change me. You didn't ask questions, you realized that some topics were of limits. And you trusted me when I had no faith in myself. Even when I was sending you to your death, when I was going to destroy your entire planet, when I was going to kill you, you trusted me to make the right choice. I knew I was a coward, you knew I was a coward, and yet you had such a blind faith in me that you never batted an eye. And you know what? It worked. You know, the thing I regret most though Jack, is that you helped me so much and I didn't help you. The two missing years of your memory? I just...shoved it into the background and ignored it. I didn't think about how it would feel to not know what I had done for two years, where I had been, who I had hurt or healed, what I had done. I just focused on the next adventure, the next bad spot, and how to get out of it. Even when we weren't in trouble, I was too busy with my own personal stuff, like Rose, and fixing the T.A.R.D.I.S. that I forgot that you were still seeking something. Rose didn't though. She wouldn't tell you, but several times she asked me to help you, to help find your answers. I always brushed her off, promising to talk to you about it and then forgetting. I'm sorry for that Jack, I am so sorry. You deserved better then that. You were amazing Jack, an amazing man. You had it all: brains, looks, space savvy, and enough pick-up lines to build a bridge across the universe. Rose loved you, I loved you, and you gave me my first male on male French kiss in about 150 years. But you were wrong about one thing Jack: you were not a coward before you met me, you just didn't have anything worth fighting for. You were fantastic Jack…absolutely fantastic!"

That face also slowly faded, and the small red light that had appeared next to the sensor turned off. They all turned away from the grave, and turned to face Jack. They looked at him, with expressions ranging from pity to smugness, the latter coming only from Owen.

"I told you he was gay! The girl didn't say anything about frenching; she said he was like a brother. And that shirt she was wearing was pretty low…could see quite a bit from where I was standing, and all of it was good. No other reason for him not to shag her." Owen let out a low whistle of appreciation, and before anyone could say anything, Jack had punched Owen in the face, hard across the jaw sending him sprawling backwards onto the grass.

"She's twenty Owen…Twenty. You ever lay a hand on her and I will kill you." Jack paused for a moment, seemed to realize who he was talking about, and smiled grimly. It was a frightening smile, one that held so much grief and anger that is was more of a snarl then a smile. "It doesn't matter anyway…she's gone now. Left him in our world while she went to the other. Gone for good." He knew he was mumbling, rambling, knew that his team was probably getting concerned for his sanity, but he didn't care. The only thing that kept him going when the nights became too long was the anger he felt towards the Doctor for leaving him. But now that he knew they mourned him, that they had not abandoned him, all the anger left in one dizzying swoop. He knew he should be happy, because this meant that maybe he could find the Doctor but he also knew that it wouldn't make a difference. The Doctor was a broken man, the new reincarnation had fallen for Rose, hard, and she for him. He knew this because there had been a security camera right next to the wall that had separated the two universes. It had taken months to get the tape delivered to him, because in the aftermath of the Cybermen and Dalek invasion everything had been a mess. But finally it had arrived, and he had spent another long lonely night watching the Doctor and Rose struggle to save the world yet again. He had watched as Rose had been torn apart from her Doctor, his Doctor, their Doctor. He had seen the Doctor cry, had seen Rose cry, and now for the first time since leaving the game station, he cried not with tears, but with his soul. A single tear, no more, no less, but from a man who was supposed to feel no emotion it was enough. And now, leaning against the solidity of his own grave, he allowed another single tear to slide down his face as he felt the world crumble around him.

**Okay, so I want everyone's input on where to go from here. Tell me what you would like to see! Do you want Jack to spill his life's story, or maybe just why he can't die, or only his journey back from the satellite? Or maybe, being Jack, he should just comepletely ignore them and shove his feelings into a corner. Should I explain about his two missing years of his memory? Should I explain how he has a daughter (yes...that part would be from my own imagination)? That he was born in the 51st century? Or would that be too much like rambling? The only thing I refuse to do is make the Doctor or Jackie suddenly walk up behind him. I though about it, but I decided that it would not give his team enough time to react to what they had just seen.** **Tell me what you want to see, and I will take it into consideration. Also, how long do you think this fic should be? Should he re-unite with the Doctor? And of course, if he does, how can they not go looking for a way to get Rose back! I MUST HAVE INPUT! Review, tell me what you would like to see, and you shall be rewarded! **


	3. A Very Drunken Jack

**A/N: I got tons of wonderful input! I decided that you guys were right, Jack would never just start spilling and crying his guts out, but of course I really wanted to. So the challenge was finding a way to do that, but in character. The result DRUNKEN JACK!!! Woot-woot. Also, I realize that in real life the alcohol would have a much more severe affect, and most likely be deadly but I decided that considering Jack can't die and doesn't sleep, it probably takes ridiculous amounts of alcohol to get him completely drunk. Like, slap-stick, giggling drunk. Also, please excuse any mistakes I made as the realness of the layout of bars, ffects of alcohol, how to order alcohol, etc. I'm understand the drinking age (and look so young that a fake I.D. would just get me laughed at)** **so I don't have any actualy experiences to draw upon. And if I asked my mom how to one order Vodka at a bar? She would FLIP OUT. I could picture it now, "No, no, I don't want to actually do it, its for this story I'm writing about this guy who can't die and..."Right, real believable. Anyways, some of Jack's ranting is non-canon, but I'll try and explain it all later. I know that he is slightly out of character, but I pictured him as a giddy drunk, so please excuse this. Right...shutting up now.**

** Warnings: Heavy alcohol use. Also known as JACK!DRUNK. Hehe...hope you like...  
**

Jack suddenly pushed himself to his feet, and half stumbled, half dragged himself away from the grave. Without so much as an explanation, he mumbled, "Hurry up. I'll be in the car." Without looking back, he walked over to where the large S.U.V was parked and got in.

Tosh, her curiosity piqued, ran her hand over one of the sensors on the tombstone, imitating Jack's gesture. Something else came on this time, a hologram nonetheless, but this one was of Jack himself. A male voice, that of the Doctor, said quietly over a still picture of Jack, "This is Captain Jack Harkness. He saw humor in everything, laughed in the face of death, and literally flirted with danger. Remember him."

Then the hologram projected video of Jack, but not as his team had known him. He was wearing much different clothes then the long military coat; he had on tight leather pants and a skin-tight white shirt. He was sitting at a table with Rose and the Doctor. Although the video was silent, they could still tell that all three were laughing hysterically. Jack's eyes glinted with wicked humor and mirth, and he seemed so…alive. Then that video faded and another one replaced it, and another. They were of different places, different scenarios, but one thing was clear: Jack was happy. He seemed so carefree and unburdened that it hurt them all to connect this man with their troubled, haunted leader. Then another video appeared, and the girl and the man were standing side by side. There backs were to the camera, but Jack was standing right in front of them and they could clearly see his expression. There was a grim determination on his face, and he said something to the girl before leaning and passionately kissing her for a few seconds. Then he pulled back and turned to the man. He said something else, and again leaned in and brought the man, the Doctor, into a heated kiss that seemed to last slightly longer then the Doctor wanted. When he let go, he turned around with his familiar strut and walked away. Then the video and hologram faded, and they were jerked back to the present by a loud honk from Jack.

They all slowly filed into the big black car, sneaking hesitant looks at Jack as he jerked the wheel and floored the gas, zooming out of the field and going full speed back to Torchwood. His face showed no expression what so ever, and none of them were stupid enough to ask questions. The silence in the car was an uncomfortable one, with Tosh and Owens's failing attempts at starting a conversation only making it worse. Jack made a small detour, and it took them a few second to realize that they were now parked right outside the bar that all went to on a nightly basis. He slammed his door open, got out of the car, and tossed his keys to a confused looking Owen.

"You always complain you want to drive. Then drive. Take it back to Torchwood; Ianto, lock up. I'll see you all in the morning." With that Jack strode into the bar, ignoring the admiring looks of several women waiting for their ride.

Owen, Gwen, Ianto, and Tosh looked at each other, before Owen finally got into the driver's seat.

"We shouldn't leave him here alone. We should go with him, all of us." Gwen said.

"We should go back alright, but I think it's more to save all those helpless women from Jack, not the other way around." Owen grumbled, although the idea of going to a bar and getting drunk was fairly appealing after the overly confusing day. So he found a parking spot a few blocks away, and parker the car. They all exited and walked back towards the bar.

They entered the crowded place, surrounded by young adults dancing and drinking. They spotted Jack at bar, talking with a beautiful redhead. She wore an extremely low top, and a very short black leather skirt with knee high leather boots. Her black eyeliner accentuated her beautifully slanted green eyes, and blood red lipstick showed off her bee stung perfect, puffy lips. Her shiny, startlingly red hair was blown perfectly straight and fell in sharp angles to her shoulder. She was probably only 21 or 22, but looked much older. The women had a confident, almost predatory look in her eyes and she grabbed the collar of Jack's coat, pulling him into her. He went without resistance, and they started to kiss. A short, passionate kiss turned into an extended make-out session that left both of them gasping for air. Jack seemed to briefly spot them, shed his jacket, and pointed from it to them, as if asking them to watch it. He let himself be led off by the girl, into the dark recesses of the club.

"What's he got that I don't? How come I can never shag anyone that hot?" Owen complained, as they all went and sat down next to Jack's empty seat.

"Really? You've never shagged anyone that gorgeous? What about that woman you were telling me about? What her name…it started with a G I think?" Gwen asked, a fierce look in her eye. Owen immediately caught on, and started sputtering lame excuses in her ear, out of hearing distance from the other two.

A few minutes later, after Gwen being fully satisfied that Owen found her attractive, Ianto trying outrageously hard to relax, and Tosh attempting to make sure that the cute guy across the room was actually flirting with her, and not Ianto, Jack came back out to the main room of the bar. His shirt was wrinkled, his hair sticking up more then usually, and his pants were sitting lopsided on his waist. He sat down next to his four coworkers, and motioned to the bartender.

"Can I get five Vodkas, please?" He asked, ignoring Gwen, Ianto, and Tosh's protests that they did not want any. The bartender brought the requested drinks over, and Jack downed all five of them quickly and consecutively. He ignored the incredulous stares from Gwen, Ianto, and Tosh, instead smiling slightly and Owen's appreciative, "I wish I could do that." Jack got up, sauntered over to a very pretty blond sitting in the corner of the bar, and sat down next to her. This girl was also very very pretty, but seemed slightly out of place. She looked lost in the huge crowd and appeared too shy to go up and dance. She was wearing a tight black halter top with the back cut out and low slung jeans. Although it did show a fair amount of skin, compared with the dress of most of the other women in the bar it was fairly conservative. She had gold, sparkly shadow powdered on her eyes, and the lights glinted off of them, drawing attention to her beautiful light blue eyes. Soft waves of golden blonde hair cascaded down her back, almost to her waist. A light, glossy coat of golden lip-gloss covered her lush lips, and her soft full face glowed in the light. She looked young, maybe 18 or 19, but she was probably more like 20 or 21.

Jack sat down next to her, and started chatting softly. At first the girl blushed and ducked her head, chatting nervously with Jack. He touched her face softly and whispered something in her ear and she seemed to relax. They danced briefly, and kissed softly. Then she was grabbing him, pulling him into her and they were kissing. Still attached at the lips, Jack once again led them towards the back exit, into the darkest part of the adjoining room.

"He just went from chatting to her to full out snogging in about…15 minutes! How does he do that?!" Owen exclaimed.

"He was taking advantage of that blond, that wasn't right. She's young, she doesn't know what she's getting into." Ianto commented worriedly.

"I don't know about that, she starting grabbing him right back." Tosh commented.

"What are we doing here? I thought we came by to make sure Jack's aright, not comment about his ability to attract women." Gwen complained.

"Really? Because I don't remember asking you to come at all." Somehow Jack had walked over to the bar, and interrupted their conversation without them noticing. He once again signaled the bartender, this time ordering another five Vodkas. He once again downed them in a quick succession.

"Jack…are you trying to kill yourself?" Gwen asked cautiously. That has been ten shots total of the potent liquor, yet he showed no outward signs of it, except for his slightly happy demeanor.

"I s'pose telling you that I downed three bottles of Absolut at the store next door before coming in wouldn't do anything to convince you otherwise, right?" Jack responded, definitely slurring his words now.

He tried to get up from the bar too quick, and stumbled slightly, tipping drunkenly. Gwen reacted quickly, grabbing him before he fell.

"I think its time to go home now. Back to Torchwood with you." She said with a long sigh. Tucking her drunken boss into bed had not been part of the deal when she had signed up with Torchwood. Of course, if she had stumbled across her own grave she might feel the need to go out and get drunk, but Jesus! The only reason she wasn't calling an ambulance was she doubted a man who had survive a gunshot wound to the head would die from an overdose of alcohol. That, and the fact she didn't believe what he said about the other three bottles.

Owen went ahead and brought the car around, and Gwen and Ianto struggled to get a staggering Jack into the car. Tosh hung back, looking at her boss with wide eyes,

It was only after they were all in the car that Jack started to speak, his words heavily slurred yet still understandable.

"Y'know, I traveled through time and space for years, years before any of you were even born and its some pretty little stuck-up Time Lord who gets me killed! And then, haha, I'm not! Killed I mean. Y'know? Course Rose made it all worth it, and I guess the Doctor did in his own way. She was gorgeous, and he was the first person in a long time that knew more than me." Jack sagged into the back seat, his head resting on the window. "I was a time agent, and sure they're all a coupla uneducated do-gooders, but its was ok. Then my birth control's battery dies, and presto! One daughter on the way! But sure, okay, I can deal. After all, if I can single handedly stop the third Sawyerian War on Galactucus 9, I can raise a kid. Happily ever after, and blah blah blah. But no! Of course my wife has to go and make me kill her, and then two years of my life were taken, and the next thing I know I'm being hunted by the Time Agents! The brief stint as a conman was fun, and I was so close to getting those two years back but no! That would be too easy. And we can't make the universe easy for Captain Jack Harkness. Lets drop the Oncoming Storm in his path! Why not? So I go traveling with the Doctor and Rose, and ok, everything's good. Then I wake up one morning with two android women remaking my image and a few hours later, I'm dying to save the planet. Me, being noble!" Jack seemed to find this completely hilarious and he collapsed in a fit of laughter that caused them all to glance at him worriedly.

"Then…get this," He said in a voice breathless from laughing so hard, "I DIE!! And, and then, I WAKE UP!! Get it? I died, and then I woke up? Its not s'posed to happen that way. So then I waste way too much time just trying to find some bit of technology advanced enough to get me back to my own time. Finally I found a power source, and used that to blow the rift open wide enough to send me somewhere else, and where do I end up? IN THE FREAKING 21 CENTURY!!! And now I know I'm screwed, because you bunch are sooo primitive that you don't send your first person back in time for another thousand years!" By this time in his running commentary on his life, Gwen and Ianto were leading a shaky Jack back into Torchwood. Owen was going to run ahead to the med lab, were he wanted to keep an eye on Jack considering the massive amounts of alcohol he had consumed.

All of them stopped suddenly, nearly causing Jack to fall on his face, because standing in front of them in a spot that had been completely empty when they left, was a blue phone box was a young man's heading peeking out of it. The same head, as a matter of fact, that they had all seen on the hologram earlier that day. That face and that phone booth could only belong to one person: The Doctor.


	4. Death, Again

**A/N: So I just re-read my last chapter, and I feel like Jack was out of character in some parts, even for him being drunk. I'm going to try to make that better in future chapters. I know it takes me a while to update, but I'm really busy with school. You can expect more updates over the Holiday break though. Also, the next chapter will have more Jack-Doctor dialogue. **

**Review Responses (I'm going to try to do this once every five chapters) These are just explanations of my thought process, they are not necessarily right or wrong:**

_Tinkerbellthegreenfairy: I felt like Jack's forcefulness towards Ianto wasn't something that he was going to get over soon_

_IndeMaat: Taking that "h" wasn't my attempt at mimicking his accent, it's how "hell" sounds when someones running or breathless_

_scifigirl: True, Jack has only told Gwen he can't die, but the others are probably still wondering why Jack wasn't killed by Lisa._

_Zythe: I am going to stear clear of Sarah-Jane and UNIT, only because I have only seen the 9th and 10th Doctors. I don't feel comfortable writing about Sarah-Jane only having seen her in one ep. with the 10th Doctor. I think I would completely mess up her characters._

_IndeMaat: I'll put in an explanation of why he was buried in the 21st Century, but its not like some huge secret reason...It will most likely be in the next chapter._

_Indigo Blue.x: I completely understand your hesitation about non-canon wives and daughters. The last thing I want is some horrible little Mary Sue ruining the reunion. You'll find out more about them, but you won't ever meet them. I added the wife because I felt that there was something missing from Cyberwoman. I just felt like Jack must have gone through a similar experience to explain his strong reactions. Anyways, that will come later._

_IndeMaat: I'm not saying Tosh was looking to run off with the guy, but I could understand her wanting something to distract her from the fact her boss was having sex in the next room over. And you are so right about the regeneration thing...I can't believe I didnt think of that! Ah well...I tried to correct -subtley- in this chapter._

_Stoko: I don't read anything from the producers because I try to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but I will try to work with that piece of info._

_Any of course, thanks to all who review!!!_

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The two just stared at each other for a second. One tall, dark hair, muscular, tipping drunkenly. The other tall, light hair, lanky, and staring in openmouthed shock.

"Jack?" The Doctor stuttered, his mouth gaping.

Jack walked towards him, unsteady in his drunken stupor. The Doctor ran walked toward Jack and before he could envelope him in a hug, he found himself staring up at a flying dinosaur. The Doctor could feel the pain from Jack's jaw-shattering punch but he still couldn't understand why it had happened. The Jack was hauling him to his feet, and before the Doctor could say or do anything, he once again found himself staring at ceiling. He was passed the confused stage; right now the Doctor was pissed. When no helping hand was offered, he pulled himself to his feet with a low groan. He saw Jack being restrained by three unfamiliar people, and then suddenly every line in Jack's body went slack and he collapsed, crumbling slowly to the ground.

Jack was not an impulsive guy, at least not usually. But after the day he had had, and all the liquor, he could not be held responsible for reacting the way he did. When he saw the Doctor he just snapped, punching him hard in the jaw. He wanted, no needed, to do it again and no way in hell he would punch someone lying on the ground. So he jerked the Doctor to his feet before once again slamming his closed hand into the Doctor's face. He was about to let lose another furious attack, when arms grabbed him from behind and stopped it.

Gwen didn't know what the phone box was for, but everyone at Torchwood knew that whenever that phone box appeared, that Doctor was in it. She was completely surprised when Jack physically attacked the man, and it took her a second to think that keeping Jack from killing him might possibly be a good idea. So she stepped forwards and grabbed Jack's arm as he cocked it back to let lose a third punch. He barely seemed to feel her weight, and it took the combined strength of Gwen, Owen, and even Ianto to stop him. They could feel Jack trembling with rage and then with frightening suddenness, he just went limp and crumbled to the ground.

Owen, Gwen, and Ianto tried to slow his descent, but his weight caught them by surprise and it was all they could do keep him from slamming into the hard ground.

Then suddenly his body started to jerk, moving and seizing in all directions. Owen tried to keep him from hurting his head, but with little success. The seizure was over almost as quickly as it had begun, and Owen was instantly in motion.

He scurried to Jack's side, shoving a frightened Gwen out of the way. He bent down and put two fingers on Jack's neck, checking for a pulse.

"Damn it. Gwen, and, you, in the corner, help me get him to the med bay." Owen said, pointing. The doctor looked slightly horrified, although it was hard to tell if it was from Jack's sudden collapse or being referred to as the guy in the corner. He helped Gwen and Owen half drag half carry Jack to the med bay. Owen quickly stripped on Jack's shirt and hooked him onto a heart monitor. He pried open Jack's eyelids and checked their response with his penlight. He then quickly took a blood sample, handing it off to Tosh.

"Go run this through the machine. Just slip it in the slot, press the on button, and bring me the print out. Don't play with it, don't push a buttons, just do it!"

"Owen, what's wrong?" Gwen asked, barely masked panic evident in her voice.

"He's…"Owen was cut off as Tosh shoved the print out into his hand with a glare. Owen scanned the text on the paper, muttering several curses.

"His blood alcohol level is over 3, that's about 6 times the amount it takes to kill the average male. He has a severe case of alcohol poisoning, that's what caused the seizure. Its also why his body temperature is so low, and why he's unresponsive."

" Not even Jack would be stupid enough to drink himself to death. Your doctor must be wrong. Stupid apes can never do anything right." The Doctor said, frustrated at his inability to help and annoyed by the fact he had no idea what was going on.

"Oh, and I suppose you now him real well then?" The Doctor started to nod in answer to Gwen's question, but she interrupted. "Of course you do, that's why you let him die and abandoned him. You know him real well? Well the Jack I know is not the same man you knew. So shut up and do something useful."

Their tirade was suddenly interrupted as the monitor started beeping. The sound was loud and abrupt, assuring everyone in the room that something bad was happening.

"Fuck, he's in v-fib." Owen scrambled around the med table, grabbed the defibrillator, and hurriedly charged up the machine.

"Get back everyone. 3-2-1…Clear" Owen discharged the machine pouring joules of electricity into Jack's lifeless body. His body jerked and spasmed on the table as the energy hit him. Owen leaned back, but still there was an ominous straight line running across the heart monitor. He released another power volt through Jack's body, and again and again, until Gwen placed her hand on his arm. He looked up, saw the straight line, glanced at his watch and saw how much time had gone by, and called it quits. He slowly lowered the defibrillator back onto the adjoining table.

"Time of death…" He started, but didn't finish; He just turned away from the table and walked out of the room.

Gwen, Tosh, and Ianto all stood rooted in the med bay. It had all happened so quickly, his collapsing, the seizure, his heart stopping, and his death. Tosh was crying softly and quietly and Ianto had his arm around her, comforting her. Gwen just stood there. She alone knew that he wasn't dead. He had told her he couldn't die, so obviously he couldn't. In a second he would jump back up, dance a jig, and laugh and yell "got ya!" Except…he wasn't. He was still lying there, unmoving, without even the rise and fall of his chest.

The Doctor did not know what to do. He just…couldn't think. He wouldn't be able to take it if Jack died again, especially with Rose gone. He glanced at the members of Jack's team. The Asian woman and the other man were holding each other, the woman was crying. But the other woman, the one with black hair, just seemed to shocked to do anything. The Doctor wondered for a second if that was what he looked like after Rose…no. This wasn't happening. Jack was supposed to be dead, so why was he laying in front of the Doctor, how had he just died in front of the Doctor?

Dying wasn't painful, but it wasn't pleasant. First off, the whole white light thing was a major crock. At least for him it was. He always knew, after he woke up, when he had died. Call it an after death smell but there was just something different, a weird feeling maybe, that said "hey, you with the nice ass, you were supposed to die but didn't, so make sure to say please and thank you." He had gotten used to waking up in all sorts of different places and different circumstances. Because once your dead, well nobody's really concerned with your comfort. So, all things considered, waking up on a hard bed (if you could call it that, although right then Jack's back certainly didn't consider that thing a bed) with most of your clothes on really wasn't all that bad. It was opening your eyes for the first time since you last died only to see five startled faces staring back at you and knowing that this was going to be a long explanation, which killed you. Again.


	5. Happy Reunion? Yeah right

**A/N: A much overdue chapter. Sorry it took so long, but I've been very busy with school and only got around to writing cause I;m on holiday break. I don't feel like this is as good as this should have been, because I was having trouble getting across what I wanted to get across yet staying in character with both the Doctor and Jack. I tried not the have the rest of them just fade out, but I don't think I succeeded. Let me know what you guys think.**

** Thank you thank you thank you to all me reviewers!  
**

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Jack propped himself up on one elbow, groaning slightly as he did so. He always got a sort of after-death stiffness. Ironic actually, that quite often he woke up in more pain than he died in, especially with the quick deaths. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, swaying slightly. Only Gwen made a move to help him as she was the only one who was not gaping at him with her mouth hanging open. She went to his side and put his arm around her shoulder but he jerked it back. He glared at her, a warning for her to back off and leave him alone. She looked at him worriedly, still concerned by the slight glaze to his eyes and the way he tipped to one side. He just shook it off, standing up straighter and his smoldering glare returned. He seemed to simply shake off the fact that he just died easier than one shook off sleep after waking up. 

"What? No snappy retorts or comebacks? I don't believe it, have I actually succeeded in making the Doctor speechless? Not even my kissing skills could do that." Jack said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

The Doctor shut his mouth and recovered his voice. "That's…not possible."

"Not possible? Don't tell me what's not possible. I didn't think it was possible to you to abandon me, but I was wrong. I didn't think it was possible for you to fail Rose, but you did. I can't die Doctor; because of you and your ship. I'm stuck here, a dead man walking and it's all because of you. So don' tell me what's not possible!!"

"I didn't do this Jack…I didn't do any of it. I didn't kill the Daleks, I didn't bring you back, and I never meant to leave you. I was dying and the TARDIS just reacted. I thought you were dead, Rose didn't trust me, and I couldn't do anything." The Doctor said, frustration and hurt evident in his voice. No doubt Jack had seen Rose's name on the list of the dead, and the Doctor understood Jack's anger at Rose's supposed death. But how could Jack think that had he been able to save Rose, if she had actually died, he wouldn't? Reluctantly, the Doctor started to see what Jack must have thought as he stood there and watched the Doctor and Rose leave him all alone.

"If you didn't kill the Daleks, then what happened?" Jack demanded, his voice softening slightly at the Doctor's hurt look.

"It's…complicated."

"We have time. Unless have something more important to do?" Jack snapped back.

"Why don't we go somewhere more…comfortable? I'll make coffee." With that statement, Ianto proceeded to usher everyone out of the med bay and into Jack's office where he promptly prepared and poured steaming hot cups of coffee for all present.

Several times Owen seemed to be on the verge of asking Jack about his reanimation, and only a withering glare from Gwen kept him quiet. Tosh seemed almost lost in all of it, bewildered by her boss's return from the dead and the sudden appearance of Torchwood's most infamous alien. Ianto was the only one who looked at all comfortable, completely in his element playing the part of gracious host no matter what species he was serving.

After a moment of silent coffee drinking, the Doctor started to talk. His eyes were fixed solely on Jack, as were Jack's eyes on him. It was abundantly clear to Owen, Tosh, and Ianto that they could listen but that this was not for them. They could not interrupt, or ask questions, or challenge anything said. They were listeners and they were hearing about thing that they could not begin to comprehend.

"I couldn't do it in end. I couldn't destroy humanity, even if some of you lot would survive. I can't say I was ready to die, but I had accepted that maybe my time had come. After 900 years of traveling I could have dealt with it being the end. Then the TARDIS appears, and Rose gets out. She was glowing Jack, glowing. For that one moment she wasn't human, wasn't a person, she was just power and I feared her. You remember the heart of the TARDIS that the Slitheen looked into? How it changed her, made happen what she most desired? Well Rose did the same thing. She looked into the TARDIS and the TARDIS looked into her. It saw that what she wanted most was to come back, destroy the Daleks, and save me. So she did. With just will she defeated the last of the Daleks, even the emperor himself and saved me. Ended the Time War…for a short time anyway. But she wanted something else too, someone else. She wanted you to live. I saw how close you two were, like brother and sister and I should have realized that the TARDIS would see her love and act on it. That's why she brought you back; the power within her recognized it as her desire. I guess she just acted a little too enthusiastically, and instead of just bringing you back she made you stay here. That's why you can't die, its because she still loves you and the Tardis won't let you go. If she stopped caring about you it would end. Even if she was here and wished that she could undo it, you would be mortal again. But I can't undo it Jack, I can't make you die. It wasn't my will that made it happen, so it's not my will that can undo it. I'm sorry Jack, I'm so so sorry." The Doctor concluded with a long sigh, a look of profound sadness and even a tinge of pity on his face.

"You're telling me that if we can't get Rose back from that alternate universe, I will never die? That I'm going to outlive you, outlive Earth, outlive the human race? I won't. I've seen what immortality did to you. How scared it made you of loving Rose because you knew what one day you would lose her. I'm going to have to sit back and watch them," he gestured vaguely to where the rest of his very surprised team was watching, "all die. And then another team, and another. You know you will one day die, you know one day it will all end. But me? What's going to happen to me, Doctor! When this planets burns, when this solar system burns, when our sun collapses? When humanity dies, when all sentinel species die out, then what! You act like you have all the answers, always the hero, but what about me? Am I just going to keep living, alone in this entire universe? TELL ME WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ME!" Jack shouted, his face a furious red as he leaned across the table, staring at the Doctor.

"I can't. That's one answer I don't have."

"Then why come back at all? For that matter, why come here if you thought I was dead?"

"Oh that. The sensors on your…er…. grave…are programmed to get a visual of everyone who activates it and let me know. That way, if by some chance one of you 21st century humans managed to make it work I'll know and can prevent anyone from re-modifying the technology and destroying the timeline. I told Rose it was a bad idea to do it here, but she wanted to be able to…you know…visit whenever we came by to see her mum. She took your death real hard."

"You shouldn't have done it in the first place." Jack mumbled.

"What is it with you? You're supposed to be happy and smiling and joking. You're supposed to give me a big snog and stare at my arse and make crude jokes about the perks of this body. So we had a memorial! We thought you were dead so forgive me if we were slightly upset!"

"Its not the fact that you made a grave, its what you made it represent. It depicted a hero, a beloved father, a faithful husband. They," another sweeping gesture towards his team, "see it, you see it, as the grave of a hero. I am not a hero. I did one thing, one hero worthy thing and that's all of me you remember. You don't remember the conning, the killing, the lying, the cheating…I'm not saying I'm proud of that but it's who I am. It's always been who I am. So if you want to remember me, you remember ME, not one brave act."

"You don't believe that. Why would they," this time the Doctor waved his hand towards Gwen, Tosh, Owen, and Ianto who were starting the feel very much like spectators at a tennis match, "follow you, respect you, mourn your death?"

"What did my daughter say?" An abrupt change of topic on Jack's part, and the question left the Doctor with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He couldn't lie to Jack, couldn't not answer. But he could play dumb.

"What do you mean?"

"You said you say my daughter, said I would be proud of her. I'm assuming you told her I was dead. What did she say?" Jack said the last part in a low voice, more of a growl. Daring the Doctor not to respond, or to lie, he edged him on with his eyes.

The Doctor paused. That was the only thing that had truly shocked him from Jack's past. The cheating on his wife he almost expected, the job as a Time Agent and the conning he had known about, the lying and the seducing he had also suspected. But the murder of his wife…and the resulting emotions from his daughter had shocked him. He had never told Rose, because although he understood, he knew that she wouldn't. There was no reason to tarnish Jack's image now, now that he was gone and his secret was buried. Only…it wasn't.

"She said…she said she was glad. That you deserved it for killing her mother…your wife. That she was disappointed she hadn't done it herself." The Doctor was sure Jack must have known the answer would be something along those lines, but it was still sheer torture to say it out loud, to rip all hope that his daughter would feel some inkling of grief.

"And you wrote 'beloved father'. If I am truly a hero Doctor, then why not the truth?"


	6. At Long Last

**A/N: I'm not dead! I swear! I've just been very busy with junior year, and school has been crazy. I wrapped this story up, but I made sure to leave it open for a sequel. I already know in my mind the whole story about Jack's wife and daughter (no, its non canon for all those of you flipping out thinking I have insider info) but I felt introducing a whole new plot line at this points would be too confusing. Also, this story is now obviously made A/U by the reunion of the Doctor and Jack in Utopia, but I might find a way to work in a backstory for Jack while keeping it canon. Anyways, writing this story was really fun, I'm sorry it took so long to finish.**

**Also, it had been brought to me attention that this chapter esp. seems like Jack/Doctor slash. If you want to look at it that way, thats fine. I see it as a very close, platonic relationship, and the kissing if just Jack being Jack. But everyone has their own opinion, and you can look at it any way you like. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed!!!**

"You want the truth Jack? Than why does your team look so shocked? You forgot to tell them about your daughter and wife, about being a conman? About the lives you ruined? You say you don't want to be a hero but still you come back and save the day again and again. And I'm sorry I left you, if I had any doubt about your death I would not have gone. I heard you die Jack! Do you have any idea what that was like? Don't belittle what Rose and I went through grieving. We loved you and losing you damn near killed Rose. She almost left because of it…almost. I'm sorry Jack. I don't what else to tell except that I am so bloody sorry!" The Doctor yelled the last part at Jack, who's face was twisted with rage.

Jack stepped right up to the Doctor, their faces inches from each other's. For a second Gwen thought that Jack was going to punch him again, obviously Owen had the same though he was about to grab Jack from behind. Instead, Jack reached up with both hands and pulled the Doctor into him, crushing his lips against the Doctor's in a strong, vicious kiss. He kept pulling the Doctor towards him, closer and closer as if he could absorb the Doctor into him, to make up for the years and years of waiting.

The Doctor was caught completely off guard. He too, had been prepared for the sting of Jack's fast against his face. So when he felt Jack's lips on his he hadn't resisted. It was so much different than last time, the last time he saw Jack alive. That kiss had been filled with resignation, and his lips had lingered as if savoring the taste of both Rose and the Doctor on his lips. This kiss was filled with raw desperation and renewed passion.

Jack and the Doctor stood intertwined, Jack pressing himself against the Doctor, desperate to find some remainder of what had been between them before. And the Doctor, for all his years and his knowledge, felt confusion cloud his mind. This was not his Jack, he realized this now, but what was he supposed to do now? And in the background, feeling an insignificance they rarely felt as members of an elite alien fighting team, were the remaining members of Torchwood. They looked at the display of raw emotion from their normally reserved boss, and they experienced a myriad of emotions.

Owen hated this feeling. He had no idea what he should be doing with himself, and worse than that he felt useless. On one hand, we wanted to walk out of the room. He felt that by seeing this reunion, by witnessing the passionate kiss, he was violating something sacred. Yet…he was rooted to the spot. All the answers he had craved since he had first met this mysterious Captain Jack Harkness, all the what's and why's and who's he had desired were being spilt right in front of him. He couldn't leave.

Tosh had known from the moment she had met Jack that she would never understand what he was. She herself was not all that complicated. Her wealthy family had seen intellect and promise, has sent her to the college she wanted to go, and supported her financially from Japan. They only knew she was doing very important top-secret work, and they were proud. Her desires centered on the discovery and advancement of technology. Until Mary, Tosh had never even thought about planning a future with someone else. She had always assumed she would work, and the rest would fall into place. After Mary, Tosh had felt that she could relate more with Jack. Jack had opened up slightly, dropping small hints about his past, hints that Tosh ate up with vigor. Yet this man shows up, this alien, says barely a word, and suddenly Jack was pouring out his heart. She too, wanted to walk away. She couldn't see Jack weak, didn't want to see their unfailingly strong leader finally succumb to whatever sway this Doctor held over him. But…she would not leave. She could not leave. If Jack couldn't be strong, then maybe she could be.

Ianto, on the other hand, wanted to stay. He needed to, felt it his responsibility to give Jack the support to face this man from his past. Of all of the team, Ianto was the only one who had known about the Doctor. He was the maid, the errand boy, the secretary, and therefore he was invisible. He would hear Jack mutter to himself during his long, sleepless nights. He would catch a glimpse of something on a computer screen before Jack hurriedly exited out. He has found ways to pry information from Jack, asking seemingly innocent questions while Jack was off guard. He had known that Jack and the Doctor had been close, and although he didn't know much at all about the Doctor, he still knew the Doctor's reputation. He knew that there had been a girl, Rose. Although he never got the feeling that there was any jealousy between the two men. Ianto had also known that Jack couldn't die, even before Gwen joined the team. He knew that every few months, Jack committed suicide. He was always the one to clean up, and he always accepted Jack's excuses. It started when he walked into to find his boss asleep in bed. He had needed to ask Jack something about the Hub, but when he hadn't been able to wake Jack he had realized that Jack wasn't breathing and had no pulse. That was when he noticed the empty bottle of pills that was grasped loosely in Jack's outstretched hand. Before he could piece anything together, Jack had sat up and ordered him out saying he needed some sleep. Then there was the time when Jack "fell" off the top of the Torchwood building, with no broken bones. Or "accidentally" got run over by a car. And a "mistake" caused his gun to discharge into his temple, or for him to get his neck caught in a noose.

And Gwen, Gwen finally saw why Jack had asked her to join his team. She wasn't a replacement for Suzie; she was a replacement for Rose. She fulfilled the same role, with her guilty conscience, her naiveté, and her openness. She was the one he didn't push away when Estelle died. It was her look of disgust that had hurt him when he had let the child go. It was her approval, her…acceptance that he sought in place of Rose's. Yet, she wasn't sure if she had given it to him.

When Jack finally pulled away he still felt the Doctor on his lips, mixed with his own salty tears. Even with the new Doctor, the new experiences, the new lips, it was still the exact same feeling he remembered. And for that instance, he felt more alive than he had since he had died at the hands of the Daleks.

When the Doctor felt Jack pull back, he was relived. The kiss had not been bad, or even entirely unwelcome. After all, it was not everyday he was reunited with dead companions. But it had felt wrong, so completely wrong. It felt like kissing a stranger, and the Doctor had to remind himself that this was Jack. But he remembered what the girl, Gwen, had said when Jack had died. That "the Jack I know is not the same man you knew." And he realized that she was right. He could see it in Jack's eyes, a feral gleam that had replaced his glint of humor. His eyes appraised the room, searching for lurking danger, not studying the anatomy of the bodies in the room. His mouth had lost its ever-present smile, the slight upwards quick of the lips. Instead it was replaced with a ghost of a snarl, and the effect was unsettling.

He searched Jack's face, desperate to find something familiar amongst the cold, calculating eyes, the harsh sneer, and the barely controlled rage that simmered below the surface. Jack stared back at him, searching his face in return. It was ironic, Jack thought, that even with all the different features, the hair, the ears, he would have recognized the aged wisdom in the Doctor's eyes anywhere. So there stood two men, one with a changed appearance but the same soul, the other with the same appearance but a changed soul.

"I can't live forever." It was a statement, not a question.

"No one can." The Doctor replied, and he meant it. He had lived for over 900 years, and sometime the only thought that kept him going was that one-day, someday, he would finally be able to rest. If he hadn't had that comfort... well his life would have turned out very differently.

"What would you like me to do, Jack? Do you want me to stay? I could you know…I could keep you company, help you save the world. Maybe it is time for me to settle down somewhere. Maybe I have been avoiding the past." The Doctor mused.

"The Doctor…settling down? It seems wrong that you would wait until now. And you know she wouldn't have wanted you to. No Doctor, you have to keep moving, just as I have to keep living. Travel amongst the stars, dart through danger, but please Doctor, remember me. And you come up for a way to kill me…to end my undesired immortality, I will be here waiting." And there came softness now to Jack's face, as he uttered those words. The feral ferocity fled his features, and was replaced by a shimmering peace that was emanated from his countenance. The Doctor and Jack quietly walked down the hall, towards the T.A.R.D.I.S. They entered, and kissed and for a moment the Doctor thought he could detect a lingering trace of the old Jack in the kiss. But Jack pulled away, and so did the Doctor, and on a bittersweet note Jack departed the T.A.R.D.I.S. But Jack knew that the Doctor would be back, sooner or later, with or without his murder weapon.

He walked away, listening to the sounds of the T.A.R.D.I.S. disappear into the air. He entered the room where his team was waiting for him, with questioning glances, and lowered eyes. Jack sat himself down heavily upon a chair, and everyone else took a seat. With a long sigh, Jack started to speak.

"That was the greatest man you will ever meet. He saved my life. But he also killed me inside. You see, we both loved a girl named Rose. And she would have been the greatest woman you would ever meet. I met them both during the Blitz, she was hanging from a barrage balloon and he switched my blaster with a banana. And then…"


End file.
